Raytheon to Design, Manufacture Projector for UAE’s F-16 Fighter Head-Up Display

Raytheon will design, develop and manufacture the projector for BAE Systems' Digital Light Engine head-up display on the F-16 Fighting Falcon for the United Arab Emirates armed forces.

The digital HUD upgrade will integrate into the F-16's existing Head-up Display (HUD) space, requiring no changes to the aircraft, cabling or computing, the company said in a statement Monday.

HUDs are located immediately in front of the pilot's line of sight and combine real-time mission critical information with the outside world view. BAE Systems' new DLE is an electro-optic upgrade to traditional analog HUDs, replacing conventional cathode ray tube devices.

BAE Systems' HUD technology can be found in modern fighters, military trainers and business jets. Earlier this year, BAE Systems announced it was selected by Lockheed Martin to upgrade the HUDs across the UAE's F-16 fleet.

"By removing the conventional analog system, we're able to increase the HUD's reliability and decrease obsolescence issues, which all lead to lower lifecycle costs," said Andy Humphries, director of Advanced Head-up Displays at BAE Systems. "This is the second time we've selected Raytheon to provide the projector for our DLE HUD, which is a reflection of our positive working relationship and Raytheon's expertise in precision optics."